Newtown High School's boys' basketball team defeated visiting Capital Prep of Hartford 77-54 on December 19. It was an overall team effort for the Nighthawks, who won their second game to begin the season, Coach Tim Tallcouch said.

The Nighthawks led 35-26 at the half, using a flurry of fast-break points off turnovers and defensive rebounds to pad a slim lead late in the second quarter, and pulled away by outscoring Capital Prep 25-17 in the third stanza.

Todd Petersen had 16 points to lead the way. Riley Ward had 14 and Tucker Garrity added 11. Ryan Escoda and Evan Eggleston both dropped in nine, Robert DiSibio had eight, and Nick Weiland added six.

Newtown compiled 23 assists, led by six from Ward, four each from Garrity and Eggleston, and three apiece from Weiland and Petersen.

"The great thing about this team is its unselfishness and any one of our eight players can contribute, in such a positive way on any given night, that it makes us tough to scout," Tallcouch said.

Weiland pulled down 13 of Newtown's 36 rebounds. The Hawks had 16 steals; Petersen led the Newtown with five, Warde and Escoda each had three, and Garrity and Eggleston both had two. Petersen had four of Newtown's seven shot blocks.

The coach notes that "2-0 to open the season should give us some good confidence as we move on to a holiday tournament next week in Wilton."

Newtown will take on Tallcouch's former team, Wilton High, in the Wilton Holiday Tournament opener, on Wednesday, December 27, beginning at 7 pm. The Hawks will take on either Staples of Westport, like Wilton an FCIAC representative, or South-West Conference rival Kolbe Cathedral of Bridgeport, in the consolation or championship game two days later.

"We'll find out a lot more about ourselves with those two games next week. Wilton, Kolbe and Staples are all really good programs - looking forward to it," Tallcouch said.